The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-10-13

u ueW n1gnt ana dRy. Ihe wages
'ot those, employed are better, and
four hundred Thousand more labcring men
are employed now than two years ago.
ia better, and prices are higher, and the
country. was never more prosperous and
psaceful than to-day.
Nearly one hundred more Union soldiers
are employed in the Treasury Department
alone than ever before. In the Govern
ment Printing Office Mr.. Benedict has
employed Union soldier whenever it was
possible TO put one in, and has four times
as many there as he found there when he
assumed control of the office. "a
L sometimes hear complaint made be-
cause the President has in his Cabinet
some men who were in the Confederate
service In the war against the Union.
Well, ne has Secretary Lamar and Attor-
ney General Garland, but not a word of
complaint has ever been heard, or can
possibly be made, about the public acts of
either. Grant and Hayes set the example,
when they appointed Ackcrmen and Kew
II 1t was not disloyal in Republican ad-
minlstrations to appoint Longstreet and
Mosby and make Fellowship with Malone,
tail to see any improperly in a Demo-
cratic President in appointing ex-Confed-
crates to office.
But l have said enough about the Demo-
cratic administration. 1t has not been
attacked, because it can not be. The
Democrats are proud of it, the Republicans
respect it, and the masses of the people
have unlimited confidence in it.
THE TARIFF AND TIE TAXES.
Now, my fellow citizens, desire TO call
your attention to the only vital national
issue In this canvass. 1t is the system of
taxation pure and simple. The tax laws
BOW In force on the Federal statute books
were placed there, excepting slight modifca-
tons, In 1861. They were passed, not for
ordinary expenses and purposes of
public administration, but for most
extraordinary expenses and war pur-
poses. Every means known to
human genius was restored to to raise
the vast sums of money necessary to defray
the expenses of the most expensive war
ever waged, for the support of the largest
army of modern times The internal reve-
nue. system was revived and internal reye-
nue. ta1es, stamp taxes, &C., placed on
every thing consumed or used by the peo-
pie. The tariff taxes were increased to
the utmost limit for the same purpose.
Congress was probably justified in doing
this at that time because the Government
then needed the money and was compelled
to have it.
The amount of money received from the
internal revenue taxes during the fiscal
year just closed were $118, 1856, ,757. 80, of this
amount $65, ,828, ,221.7l were received on
whisky and distilled spirits; on tobacco,
cigars and cigarettes, $50. .108, ,067.13;
ON fermented liquors, beer, ale, &c, $21,-
922, lo7 40; oleomargarine, $72S, 948 05;
more than enough to pay the pensions of
the soldiers and the interest on the public
debt. y
The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette,
the leading Republican paper of the State,
demands that the internal revenue taxes
shall be abolished. The Democratic State
platform adoP ed at Cleveland demands
that the federal taxes shall be reduced to a
revenue basis sufficient to defray the ex-
penses of the Government economically ad-
ministered, and denounces any attempt to
abolish the tax on whisky. It dem ands
shall be speedily reduced and that the tax
on luxuries shall remain.
The total amount of sugar consumed in
the United States in the year 1885 was
1897 AS tons of 2,240 pounds each. OF
this amount 996, ,569 tons was imported, and
only 100.076 produced in this country.
There were also imported 26, ,709, ,435 gal
Ions of molasses. i have not the exact
number of tons imported during the year
1886, s but the amount of duty
paid on imported sugar by the
people of the United States in the year
1886 was $50, ,265 539, and this too en-
total valuation of $71, 1,311 900. In other
words, more than two-thirds of the cost of
the sugar was taxes which the Government
laid upon it. Here, then, is an article of
food universally used by rich and poor
alike, absolutely necessary for the support
of every family, and the people pay more
than $50, ,000, 900 year in taxes when it is
conceded the money is not necessary for the
support of the Government, when there is
q surplus of more than 100, ,000, 900 of dol
lars in the Treasury; and now demand is
made by the Cincinnati Commercial that
the people shall have free whisky; that no
tax shall be laid upon it; an article which
nobody is compelled to purchase, and which
Is not necessary for the support of any
mans family, and which every man pur-
chases Voluntarily if at all. At the same
time, it demands that the labering men of
this country shall continue to pay these
enormous war tariff taxes on articles of
necessity, which they are compelled to
have, in order that monopolies shall con-
6nus and the poor men of the country be
robbed of their hard earned wages for the
purpose of manufacturing and increasing
the number of millionaires who have grown
fat upon the spoils of war legislation. l
know it is said by some of eur opponents
that high duties must be kept on i'm
ported manufactured articles to prevent
foreign competition, and to prevent the
laDoring men of this country from COM
peting with the poorer labor of Europe.
Well, the laboring men of this country
have never had any protection against
the poorer labor system of Europe until
recently; until the importation of contract
labor was prohibited by the last Congress.
While the protectionists were clamorino for